Preaching
RocketCast 015: How To Preach A Sermon People Will Remember
People don’t remember sermons – they remember statements. Jeff Henderson, lead pastor of Gwinnett Church and regular communicator at North Point Community Church in the Atlanta area, shares how to create memorable statements for your sermons. These “sticky” statements will be what people remember days, even months, after your sermon. There is a unique formula…
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How To Find Your Unique Preaching Voice
When I was a kid, one of the first impressionists I saw was a comedian named Rich Little. Rich did a spot-on impression of President Richard Nixon, and almost any big-time celebrity back in the day. The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson would have Rich on his show and Rich would actually do an…
Read MoreRocketCast 010: How To Find Your Unique Preaching Voice – Whiteboard Wednesday
As pastors and church leaders, we have a unique opportunity to stand up and speak in front of people. For many of us though, we aren’t aware of the strengths and weaknesses of our own preaching “voice” or style. The result? Our sermons aren’t as effective as they could be. In this Whiteboard session, Pastor…
Read MoreHow to Improve Your Sermons With A Feedback Team
One of the best books I’ve read recently is Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull, the CEO of Pixar. While it’s certainly not a preaching book, I came across an idea that I recently leveraged in a sermon series at Gwinnett Church. It’s an idea called The Brain Trust. As you know, Pixar has this amazing streak…
Read MoreShould You Copy Someone Else’s Sermon?
Years ago, I worked as a marketing director for a theme park in Atlanta. Part of my job involved booking concerts for special events. The biggest “name” I ever booked was KC and the Sunshine Band. If you don’t remember these guys, you’re much younger than me. Whenever I couldn’t find an affordable original band, we…
Read MoreWhy People Listen to Some Sermons and Not Others
Two sermons. Both truthful, and biblical. Both helpful. But one is heard and the other is forgotten. One is engaging and the other is endured. One sticks, the other doesn’t. We know that God’s Word doesn’t return void, and that the Holy Spirit is the One who enables someone to understand the truth of scripture.…
Read MoreThe Anatomy of a Great Message-Preaching Infographic
Great sermons and great stories share some common themes. They all have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Other elements such as connection, tension, and resolution also factor in. That got me thinking. Any great sermon or message is going to be first and foremost founded in the scriptures and God-honoring. But great sermons…
Read MoreHow Dr. Charles Stanley Prepares to Preach
As a pastor, or communicator, it’s easy to neglect the most important component of sermon and message preparation—your own heart. With family obligations, staff meetings, and other commitments competing for your time, you may find yourself trying to find something to say, without having something worth saying. How do you prevent this? Here are some…
Read MoreWhat do you do when you get STUCK in sermon prep?
I hate being stuck in traffic. But it happens. Usually when I’m on my way to something and never when I have extra time. I hate being stuck in line at Wal-Mart. No matter what lane I pick, I’m always behind the person fumbling through their purse to write a check. I hate being stuck…
Read MoreThree Tips for Preaching Fantastic Sermons in 2014-Sermon Preparation
French chemist and scientist Louis Pasteur once said that “luck favors the prepared mind.” I think we could replace the word luck with the Holy Spirit. I think the Holy Spirit favors the prepared preacher. Obviously, there are moments when the Holy Spirit shows up in spontaneous ways. But the Holy Spirit can show up…
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